An old-fashioned Springsteen-style storyteller with a soulful, mature voice, Stringer has soldiered on from impressive first album Soon for a neat follow-up.

Pendulum is rich, diverse and sombre. Among the goodies here are the tender balladry of 'All I Have for You Tonight'; the gloom of 'Baby Jane', its sorrowful tale weaving seamlessly with the ache of pedal steel, strings and banjo; 'Over the Sea's dramatic acoustic blend, providing the perfect backdrop to vivid imagery ("I dreamt last night of the beautiful birds/taking me high and away from the world"); and the uptempo country groove of 'You Say So Many Things'.

A stripped back, unpolished production lends Pendulum its charm.

It's as if you're there in the room with the singer, under a spell. It's a breath of fresh air."

Scott Podmore

Sunday Herald-Sun

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